FAQ

Can anybody apply to participate in Tata Social internships?

To be eligible the student must be a penultimate year or final year undergraduate or a postgraduate from an university with which Tata has an agreement for this program. The student can be from any discipline.

What are the topics of the Tata Social Internship projects?

The internships offered are in the ongoing corporate sustainability projects of Tata companies. The subjects can be as varied as women empowerment, livelihoods, education, water management, and others.

Can a student apply directly to Tata Social Internship for participation in a Tata Social Internship program?

You need to be a student, in a University that Tata Sons Limited has an agreement with.

What is the length of the Tata Social Internship project?

Approximately 2 months.

What is the Visa the intern needs to apply for?

Please check with the nearest Indian High Commission in your country. Also, please check before leaving whether your Visa is of a category for which Registration is required.

The student and University will book the international flight and Tata will reimburse the University for a part of the cost of the international air ticket, as per the MoU with the University concerned. Balance funding needs to be organised between the University and the student.

Who will make the domestic travel arrangements for Tata Social Internship project related travel?

Tata will make all the air, rail, car travel arrangements within India between towns for internship related travel, as per their normal practice.

What is the baggage allowance on domestic flights in India?

As a thumb rule it is 15 kg for checked in baggage and 7 kg for hand baggage. Excess baggage is charged beyond this. A laptop can be carried in addition as hand baggage.

Can an intern attend only a part of the Tata Social internship?

No. It is mandatory that the intern attends the entire internship.

Can the intern take a holiday break during the Tata Social internship?

During the Tata Social internship 2 weekends are allowed with the permission of the Project Guide and Tata Social Internship coordinator during the course of the internship

Will Tata companies arrange my mid-internship holidays?

No. Tata companies are not obliged to make arrangements for your mid-internship holiday breaks. Though you will get valuable advice from your Tata colleagues at the locations as to the tourist spots nearby.

Will I have a separate work space and computer at the Tata company location to work on my Reports?

Interns are advised to carry their own laptops, with the necessary convertor plugs and spike guards.

What is the electricity in India?

220V. 3 round pin plug points.
Please be aware that the electricity supply in rural India fluctuates in voltage, hence your electrical equipment and laptops must be supplemented by the relevant stabilisers or spike guards.

What is the quality of internet access at the Tata Social Internship project locations?

Varies from fair to poor depending on the strength of the signal. Often the intern would be dependent on a common access line at the hostel or at the Tata factory.

What vaccinations does the Tata Social Internship intern need to take for India?

Check with the consulate or embassy in your country.

What will the food be like?

The food at the guest houses and hostels will be normal Indian food.

Can I drink water from the tap in India?

No you cannot drink water from the tap. Unless your host advises you to do so.

Will the Tata Social Internship intern have access to doctors, clinics and hospitals while in India on her/ his internship?

Yes the Tata Social Internship intern will have access through the Tata company linked medical facilities. The Tata company you are interning with will provide you with the details.

Where will the intern stay during the internship?

Tata will arrange for guest house or hostel type of accommodation.

How many days in a week does the intern work?

Generally 6 days a week. In line with the working days of the company the student is interning at.

What is the recommended dress code?

You will arrive in the middle of the summer and the break of the monsoons, hence carry some rainwear. Clothes-wise, jeans and tee-shirts could be fine when out in the field, but in an office setup smart casuals are the norm. Since you could be working in rural India which is conservative in its clothes sense, skimpy clothing is to be avoided.

Alumni recommended reading and helpful contacts for India

Past Tata Social Internship alumni have recommended books like "Maximum City: Bombay Lost and Found" by Suketu Mehta and "Shantaram" by Gregory David Roberts about Mumbai's underbelly. Yet, except for tourist trips through the slums of Dharavi which a majority of the interns undertake, this is not the Mumbai the interns will live in. Also recommended was, "What Young India Wants" by Chetan Bhagat. Other helpful contacts www.justdial.com tel 08888888888 ; www.askme.com tel 35555555 ; www.incredible-india.com. The company representatives at each location will be able to share travel ideas with you or describe your location to you before you get there, as will alumni at Facebook